Bureaucracy and Design

I have recently been laid off from my job as a designer and find myself in the very Kafka-esque world of the New York City and New York State benefit system. 

Although I have no need to discuss the unfairness of working hard, being taxed and the expectation of support when that job is no longer there; I will like to speak of the lack of a communication and design system, and one of branding of these agencies and their offices. 

First of all there seems to be no design or thought of it. The walls are the colour of hospitals (hardly anything good ever happens there), the chairs are uncomfortable, the lighting harsh and makes everyone look like a criminal when all they want is help. 

An assortment of sometimes old and  odd posters, flyers, letters and booklets. No system seems to be in place to make the process easier to understand, or to streamline the process.

The design of forms and notices seem contrived for confusion. The design of materials from agency to agency seem without connection. Even as they are umbrella-ed under the same state of city governmental agency—AccessNYC

I wonder who would be brave enough to take on this enormous re-design and branding issue?

Summer in Ripe City

Summer in New York City can be very cool. Some folk leave for the country, the beach and the mountains. Some for the museums, galleries and cinemas. The one thing that stays in the city during the summer is the garbage. And with the record climate change kind of weather this year, it's close buddy, Stinky is vacationing here as well. 

The city is ripe! No matter where you are, bags of garbage cannot be picked up by sanitation fast enough. 

It's about time to design New York City proof garbage bags and cans. I'm not talking about perfuming them although that's nice, I'm saying once the bags/cans are closed no smell should come out! No matter the heat index.

Well that's the Ten Things Rant for now. Stay cool NYCers

ADC Adventure Hikes

And there was wine afterwards at a lovely winery. Good times were had by all

I sensed a great, infinite scream run through nature, Edvard Munch (1892 )

So if you are strolling along the Piazza San Marco and are a bit bored by your ability to be casually wandering in the middle of the day, and everything you've seen at this year's Venice Biennale just doesn't thrill you. Then I hear that the performances on May 31st at the  U.S. Pavilion, Giardini at 4pm, and then at 5pm at the British Pavilion, Giardini are a SCREAM! 

They are also taking place on these dates at these pavilions:
June 1st: German Pavilion, Giardini at 4pm,  and at the Chinese Pavilion, Arsenale at 5pm.

June 2nd: Piazza San Marco at 4pm and at City of Venice from 5pm onwards

This is from their email blast:
Inspired by Edvard Munch's most famous painting 'The Scream', Mad For Real's eponymous performance reactivates this iconic picture into a live, vocalised expression of contemporary angst. Whereas Munch's screams came from the madhouse or the abattoir of the 1890s, Cai Yuan and Jian Jun Xi's Scream invites participation 110 years later in a globalised context of economic and social uncertainty. Resonating with well-known texts of Chinese modernity since the May Fourth movement, such as famous author Lu Xun's volume Call to Arms () of 1922, Mad For Real's Scream reaches across time and culture into a single, communal burst of humanity.

www.screamforreal.org
www.madforreal.org

Go SCREAM! for Pete's sake! …whoever Pete is…

Art Director's Club 50/50 initiative - a step, but too where?

Well finally somebody is saying what we women have all known for such a long time. The advertising industry is a, well, to put it politely, a sausagefest. 

The ADC has launched an initiative to bring more women into the industry. I hope it also intends to change the way business is done. 

It's not that women are not smart or do not want to be 'Mad Women' but its the way business is done that, well, frankly repels us. The atmosphere of machoism, intense competition vs intense collaboration, the awarding of trophies to singular creatives instead of to teams, this is what most women find distasteful and tiring. 

We also would like to know we can have our babies and know that we are not thought less of, demoted and locked out of the industry when our children are finally going off to school and we are frankly at our best in understanding the market panorama (since we have lived and worked as the consumer in our personal lives)

And while I talk about personal lives lets talk about all those women of colour out there barely represented in the industry. No! I don't mean as receptionists, assistants and managers. I mean as creative directors. Name five heads of agencies who are women and are women of colour(!?) right! I mean everyone can name the Alexs and Brians and Michaels out there heading up the most famous creative teams. But where are the Angelas, the Roxannes, the Carols? Do we even recognize their talents before they get fed up of the industry and leave to make some other industry great?

That's me crossing on the left…

Here is ADC's Ignacio talking about what the Club hopes to achieve

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Here's a link to Karen Mullia speaking  on the same issue http://multicultclassics.blogspot.com/2009/08/7056-biological-clocks-warfare.html?m=1

Tribute to out Ancestors of the Middle Passage

So, if any of your ancestors were from the continent of Africa, then you should be in attendance. And tell me, whose isn't?  This is a way of saying thanks to the folks who got chased by lions and survived. Who figured out we can eat peanuts and artichokes. The people who understood that the spark from a two rocks hitting each other can warm your body, cook meat and nourish the soul.  Come down to Coney Island this weekend. You know you haven't been down there in such a long time; plus aren't you curious to see what Hurricane Sandy did to the boardwalk? This ceremony is in its 24th year. And while it is a ceremony for those who died during the middle passage, I like to think of it as a remembrance of ALL those who came before regardless of circumstance This is a chance to experience some culture that belongs to us all. We are all Africans and this is a chance to say thanks to those strong enough to survive and leave the world a great and inspiring place for us today. Go say hello to an ancestor. And take them some good brandy, they would appreciate it. I know I would when I'm an ancestor.  It's Saturday June 8th, from 12pm to 6pm. At the Ancestor's Circle, 17th Street and Coney Island Boardwalk in Coney Island Brooklyn

This event is presented collectively by Medger Evers College of the City University of New York, The People of the Sun Middle Passage Collective, and the Brooklyn Arts Council. The Brooklyn Arts Council.’s Harborlore Festival resonates with this annual ceremony, now in its 24th year. It memorializes all of the enslaved Africans who died at sea during their forced passage to the Americas.  Hundreds of New Yorkers attend this Tribute annually, to drum, to pray, to remember, to wade in the water and leave flowers at the shoreline.  This year Guyanese master drummer Baba Mpho with a group of drummers and singers  will perform at the ceremony at the water's edge between 4pm and 5pm.

WalkaboutNYC 2013 - The Tech Edition

check out my itinerary there are plenty of companies to visit with open spots.

OutBrain
Yodle

Tumblr

Squarespace

Contently

and then the official WalkaboutNYC Happy Hour!

My little interview by the Art Directors Club

I'm just going to post the link so you can read it yourself. 

I'm proud of how it came out and thanks to Megan Garwood the writer who made me look awesome! 

https://www.adcglobal.org/connections/blog/?id=2062

Let me know what you think. Don't be shy.

Bordo Bello- Exhibit postmortem

Well to say I was disappointed about the skate park is an understatement! It was a toy skate park! I wanted to see James Victore on a skateboard for Pete's sake! 

So the painted boards were esquisite! I wanted all of them. Some more than others, but as pure decoration, I would not mind a wall full of painted boards. 

Still sad no designers doing Ollie's, but hey, there's next year…

Oh Debbie!

So I went to hear THE Debbie Millman talk to the design community about failure. 

I wondered what she would have to tell us; and found out that there was a lot of failings in Ms. Millman's career. She also just got up, dusted herself off, cried away the hurt and started again. 

I also found it odd that she, the patron saint of designers, does not consider herself a designer. I don't want to be mean but I don't consider her a designer either. I think she's a great curator of design and its people, but designer she ain't. Or is she? She showed some of her artwork and I was impressed. Yes I was! 

She's a creative by any standard. She has an artist's soul and would have done great in art school. Or maybe they would have taken that artist soul and corrupted it. Anyway Ms. Millman by her own account has been put through the ringer; and has lived to speak eloquently about it. 

I both love Ms. Millman and have a problem with her. She clearly knows who she is and has spent her life like most of us on that discovery; yet her problem/advice sometimes seems like #FirstWorldProblems. 

She has been privileged to have met the most incredible folk and be cute while doing so. This was something I don't think she has taken into consideration. Some people, no matter how talented or diligent get ignored. Mostly because thy are not what is expected or in this society, valued. 

But I get it. Stick with it. Hang in there and out wait the losers keeping you down and while you're doing that hone your craft. Do stuff. Put it out there and let people see just how great you are. 

Then stick out your tongue (inside your head) and smile as you win. Just by being the one still standing. Ms. Millman is correct. 

Failure is only failure if you stay down. 

Ms. Debbie Millman spoke at the Type Directors Club and Monotype exhibit Pencil to Pixel NYC at the Skylight Studios penthouse space downtown in TriBeCa.

Standing room only. You should have been there…

The Artist JR strikes again

The French Artist JR known for his huge Black and White portraits, has made a Times Square appearance. 

Today was the last day. He had a photo van where people had images of themselves taken as they were passing through Times Square. The images were immefiately printed out as large 4ft by 6ft approx. prints, and then adhered to a building on 48th and Broadway. They were also pasting them to the ground near the bleachers. 

Remarkably beautiful and captivating given that the neon crossroads of the world candy compete with captivating black and white giant photobooth portraits. 

Sadly we did not get our photos taken, as the line was so long, and moved slowly. 

We were unfortunately on our lunch break and did not see ourselves strolling back to work 3 hours later with the sad explanation that we wanted to be  a part if a global art project

MonotypeNerdiness Report

So I went to the Monotype exhibit I posted about a few weeks ago. It was downtown in TriBeCa in the penthouse of the Skylight Studios. 

Very cool. 

It consisted of a personal/group tour where we were shown and told about the history if the type foundry and its famous typefaces. Didot, Joanna, Helvetica…. I did not know there was a dispute about the origins of Times New Roman, and that much of the documentation that could clear up the type nerdy quarrel, was destroyed in the blitz bombing of London during the Second World War; who knew? (!) but then again, I don't really know much. 

So exciting. 

Our guide spoke of the Global offices of ITC, of Linotype, of Monotype designers and the 10" drawings. So much info about how type went from punch type to photo lettering to digital. It all seemed so long ago but it wasn't. 

We're living such a Moore's law existence, where because of how fast tech is moving we think it must have happened a long time ago. But it was only in the 1970's and 1980's that digital type took off. I was alive then(!)

Old me still remembers rub on Letraset type, (if you ask me what that is I may have to pretend to have an Alzheimer's episode) and walk away. Google it slacker! 

Anyway I've included a few images of the space and some pieces from the exhibit. It is free, but by appointment only so go quickly. Go learn something new! I did.  

Caypso, a typeface

On Steven Heller's blog he mentioned Calypso. And as a Trinidadian I went Hey Steven!, but it wasn't about The Mighty Sparrow or some other Calypsonian, it was about 'Calypso' the typeface.

The making of Calypso PF' on YouTube

You can even download a copy of the typeface.

So I tried on a prototype of the Google Glass

What can I say? It's a bit odd at first. And if you wear glasses like I do, and are nearly blind like I am, the experience will be a bit limited. If you know you are going to try it, wear your contact lenses not your glasses.

The learning curve is none existent and it begins to be very, very cool once you get the hang of tilting your head up a bit and the touch scroll on the side. You can access all the google apps I believe and possibly the Internet.

You cannot walk and view. I mean you can, but 1) you will look like a fool with your head tilted to the sky, and 2) you will step in dog shit. It's not a motion device, at least not for me.

So, all this happened because I was at the launch of the Art Directors Club Google Lounge.

Cool communal workspace where those of us without an office for our tiny design agencies can take a meeting. Wow the clients and pitch the next big thing like the Google Shoe.

Ben Jones Google Creative Director, gave one of the most inspirational presentations I've seen as a designer. Now, I was truly inspired. So much do that I want to get him to come to our offices and present it to our designers.

There was also the Google Shoe. Yes! I didn't make that up! It spoke. Yes it did. It is your sarcastic friend.

We got to try the sensor out as it was in prototype form an there was only one shoe on display. It's cool, but I need to see the practical applications ;and it needs to be able to warn you of oncoming dog shit. 'Nuff said…

Happy Earth Day - Try to leave a lighter footprint

Look how great we look from space

AIGA Exhibition: Bordo Bello NYC

Skateboards Skate Park!!! Design! Illustration! Wine! No make that Beer!


Need I say more? At the AIGA National Design Center on 5th Avenue in NYC

This is an annual exhibition hosted by the Colorado AIGA chapter. 1,000 artists celebrating the colorful Colorado skateboard culture. The exhibition is a collection from all the previous Bordo Bello shows so there will be a range of art styles on display.

There will be brand new artwork available for purchase during the opening reception on Wednesday 8th May 2013 from 6–9pm.

There will be a silent auction, schmoozing and someone's special beer. you can dance too because a DJ will be supplying beats.If you are young enough and brave enough, there will be the opportunity to skate (!) in a TechDeck Skatepark.
Personally, I'll be there to see the 30 and 40 something design community try out the half pipe. (!)

AIGA NY is hosting the exhibition from April 22 through July 2 at the AIGA
National Design Center (http://www.aiga.org/national-design-center/) in New York City.

The reception is open to the public, the auction will support mentorship programs in AIGA chapters across the US.

The AIGA Gallery is also open to the public. Their hours, Monday through Thursday 11am–6pm, on Fridays 11am–5pm

General Assembly Free Online Class - Start Your Creative Business With Etsy

This fun and tactical course is designed to help anyone new to Etsy. Even if you are not yet totally sure what you want to sell? This class helps you to learn the success of opening an Etsy shop.

General Assembly will guide you through planning the basics of your business strategy and give you an indepth look at Etsy’s tools to help you succeed online.

The instructor is Kathryn Fink  

Seller Education Manager at Etsy
tweet her @kathrynfink

So what do you get out of this?? You get the inspiration and knowledge to start your own Etsy shop,
some basic business strategy for selling you creations online and making moola!! A few very effective tips and web tools for making the most of Etsy’s business, and tips to understanding the Etsy marketplace. these and some necessary resources to continue growing your business after you open up your shop is what this class is about.

So when is it you ask? Wednesday 24th April 2013 from 4 – 5 PM

And does it cost? no it's FREE!

And how do you sign up? click here!!

Connect with her @kathrynfink

Gimme the Loot

Speaking of Grafitti!

National Library Week April 14th to 20th 2013

“If you go home with somebody, and they don't have books, don't fuck 'em!”
― John Waters

Flip the Script - The Evolution of Graffiti Hand Styles

Designer and Creative Director Christian P. Acker's 10-year-long book on graffiti tagging is out.

And while my busy self missed he opening launch reception at the awesome! Reed Space in NYC, I was lucky to attend his Type Director's Club presentation on April 19th 2013 at the TDC Salon

My type nerd in crime Molly Hein and I were very happy to buy his book and to meet Christian. The book is lovely and I am eager to peruse.

The normally standing room only TDC space was surprisingly empty for a Salon night.

Acker was entertaining and very happily laid his thesis on us. The connection between black letterforms and certain tagging styles especially from Philadelphia and the Los Angeles areas from the late 1960's to the late 1980's

I loved the spirited presentation and would have watched the videos he showed all night long. A documentary is what should be done with this info.

Molly and I were not too happy with him though, when he dismissed the fact that there was not a woman graffiti writer in his entire book! (!) not one! Yes! Yes, for shame Christian! For shame…

Not good at all!
Anyway the book is out. Look for it online